GATEWAY TO THE WILDERNESS

Cross the bridge over the river and down to the end of the road – a few-minute walk heading south from Otto’s Abode – and you will find yourself at the northern terminus to one of the East Coast’s largest preserved public wilderness areas. The town at your back celebrated its centennial a couple decades ago. The forest you face is celebrating a century of recovering from its first and last clear cut.

Crossing the threshold of the invisible boundary you enter into pristine, do not disturb, stay on trail, leave no trace, Forever Wild Adirondack State Park Wilderness. If hiking the popular route to High Falls, the overgrown path you walk down was at one time a bustling rail line constructed for the hauling fallen trees. It had literally gone right to where you would find yourself after arriving at (though lacking the big trees) one of the most remote waterfalls in the Park – a day’s hike from where you began.

Its’ boreal forest scattered with bogs and gargantuan glacial erratic matures atop the fossil-less southern most exposed portion of the Canadian Shield, which on a map appears to flap-jack into New York from the north like a floppy tail but in fact had awoken and rose up from bellow revealing itself as a massive mound of some of the oldest rock found in the world. And while you might not bump into anyone all a week, the beavers that flood your path may receive a death sentence from the DEC.

Gateway to the Wilderness is an ongoing open-call collaborative project interested in intersections between contemporary art practices and the geological, ecological, and political Identity, formation and management of the Adirondack Mountain Region with Otto’s Abode acting as headquarters. The project aims to foster, create, exhibit and document permanent, ephemeral, individual and collaborative work in, with, and around Otto’s Abode.

Call for Art – Ongoing
Otto’s Abode is currently accepting proposals/applications for Gateway to the Wilderness.

To apply:
Create a PDF file of reasonable size and email to: gateway@ottosabode.org
or (preferred) snail mail a care package, printout or disc to: Otto’s Abode, PO Box 1, Wanakena, NY, 13695.

Including the following in order listed below:
Name, Location, Contact Information,
Personal information you’d like to share,
Gateway to Wilderness Project Proposal; description, images,
Relevant Previous Projects; Descriptions, Images
Any other relevant information

Otto’s Abode will notify you upon our receiving of your proposal/application.
A Terms of Exhibition form MUST be signed before working at or with Otto’s Abode. Copies of the form are on file at Otto’s Abode.

Residency at Otto's Abode

During the periods of:
***ONGOING***


The owners of Otto’s Abode would like to host artists at their private residence next-door, constructed primitive shelter or tent out back, or a lean-to across the river, etc... for one day to one month with the purpose of providing artists with an immersive and supportive environment for researching, constructing or performing in conjunction with the Gateway to the Wilderness project.

Gateway to the Wilderness – Residency Information and Application

Gateway to the Wilderness is an ongoing open-call collaborative project interested in intersections between contemporary art practices and the geological, ecological, and political Identity, formation and management of the Adirondack Mountain Region with Otto’s Abode acting as headquarters. The project aims to foster, create, exhibit and document permanent, ephemeral, individual and collaborative work in, with, and around Otto’s Abode.

Otto’s Abode is seeking ambitious emerging artists interested in exploratory project based approaches to art discovery, creation, documentation, and theorizing. Artists are encouraged to weave themselves into local phenomenon, history, and community. Otto’s Abode hopes to gain new insights into the understanding of itself through the interaction of its own practice and that of the visiting artist in residence.

Residents are invited to stay and work with Otto’s Abode for one day to one month free of charge.

Residents are invited to stay with the owners of Otto’s Abodes at their private residence next door. It is a single story two bedroom, one bathroom house. The radio is always on, and everything is usually in its place. Residents are provided with a private, furnished guest bedroom. Residents may also take advantage of abundant camping on both private and public land. Options also include and at times may be limited to: pitching a tent, construction of a primitive shelter, public use lean-to, couch etc...) A variety of living situations enables multiple residents involved in the program at one time.

Meals are not provided but kitchen if open for use by resident and can cater to individual resident’s preferences (i.e. a more communal approach to cooking and eating vs. cooking for one’s self, eating by one’s self). Please include any food allergies in application. Residents utilizing outdoor living have same access to indoor kitchen and bathroom as in-house residents.

Due to Otto’s Abode’s’ remote location and proximity to larger centers of commerce, residents should have their own form of transportation. Most shopping must be done in neighboring towns which average just under an hour for a one way trip. Currently there are no pets in the residence. Smoking must be done outside of residence.

Across the street from the house is Otto’s Abode. Residents at Otto’s Abode are provided full access to on-site shared studio – a 15’ x 25’ work space that can be as public or private per need of project/resident. An assortment of materials, basic hand tools and a limited selection of power tools are available. 

The Exhibition Space & General Store is through a doorway in back of studio. The Store has snacks, drinks, candy, ice cream, souvenirs. Whether providing a product or a service, residents are encouraged but not required to use the store –physically and conceptually- as material for project. There is a public restroom within this space. The space serves as an exhibition space, general store, social center, café. A mixture of formal and informal, subtle and more obvious interventions with and within Otto’s Abode intends to facilitate an active sense of wandering and discovery while in and around this ever-changing venue.

Outside of Otto’s Abode is the town Post Office, public restroom, vending machines, public gazebo, and the town green. There is public swimming right down the street on the Oswegatchie River and the vast Five Ponds Wilderness Area right on the other side.

An artist in residence has opportunities for exhibition, hosting public meetings, workshops, lectures, etc.

E-mail any questions, comments, concerns to residency@ottosabode.org

To apply:

Create a PDF file of reasonable size and email to: residency@ottosabode.org
or (preferred) snail mail a care package, printout or data disc to:
Otto’s Abode, PO Box 1, Wanakena, NY, 13695

Including the Following in order as listed below:
Name, Location, Contact Information.
CV, Personal information you’d like to share.
Gateway to Wilderness Project Proposal; Description, Images.
Relevant Previous Projects; Descriptions, Images.
Any other information you think we should know.
Questions for us?

Otto’s Abode will notify you upon our receiving of your proposal/application.

A Terms of Exhibition form MUST be signed before working in or with Otto’s Abode. Copies of the form are on file at Otto’s Abode.